Kel'el Ware's first NBA season was hugely encouraging for the Miami Heat on its own.
Last summer's No. 15 pick needed a couple of months to become a rotation mainstay, but then only another month to get locked into the starting lineup. He was named January's Eastern Conference Rookie of the Month and later snagged a spot on the All-Rookie second-team.
While his and the Heat's seasons ended in April, the encouragement around Ware has continued to build. And the Heat have the Indiana Pacers and their rock-solid, two-way center to thank for that.
Myles Turner providing the blueprint for how Ware can impact winning at a high-level.
Ware has long been likened to Turner, as both bigs offer the coveted unicorn blend of rim protection and perimeter shooting.
While this combination hasn't quite pushed Turner to stardom, it has established him as a well-above-average NBA starter and anchor of an Indiana team playing in its second consecutive Eastern Conference finals.
Frankly, the Pacers aren't enjoying anywhere near this level of success without Turner filling such a critical role on both ends. He's an insurance policy on the backline of the defense and a cheat-code spacer on the offensive perimeter, not to mention a thunderous finisher around the basket.
Indiana has a couple bigger names, but the stat sheet says few players are more important to what this team does. During this latest playoff run, he ranks fourth among the Pacers' rotation players in net differential (plus-6.7 points per 100 possessions, per NBA.com). In the previous postseason, he was second to only Tyrese Haliburton (plus-7.7).
Perimeter defenders can be more aggressive knowing Turner is around to plug any leaks behind them. Shot-creators have more room to operate and cleaner driving lanes with Turner pulling opposing bigs away from the basket. And this is all in addition to the typical big-man contributions, like competing on the glass and finishing from close-range.
That is, in coach speak, "playing winning basketball," which is precisely what Heat coach Erik Spoelstra remarked Ware was doing earlier this season, per Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald.
Ware might not be a Turner clone, but this is the blueprint with which he can thrive. The hope is Ware keeps ascending toward a ceiling that eventually eclipses Turner's.
Ware doesn't have Turner's volume as a shooter or shot-blocker, but Ware does have more mobility, bounce and a touch more length. Ware needs to bulk up his frame, but considering he has made that his top offseason priority, maybe that itch gets scratched sooner than later.
If Ware tops out near Turner's level, the Heat would be thrilled with their selection. The entire hoops world is witnessing how a player of that caliber can greatly impact playoff games. That said, it's early enough in Ware's career for Miami to dream even bigger.
As consistently good as Turner is, stardom always eluded him. Maybe Ware can pave a similar path but push things even farther.
